Chapter 4: Welcome Party

Canna P.O.V.

As soon as my sister and I entered the front door, we were greeted by the sound of our mother's voice. "Where have you been?" she asked, looking flustered. "You have to get ready for the party. It's only an hour until we leave."

I took a deep breath and said, "Hi Mom, we were just at the mall to get something nice to wear for the party." My mother just nodded, looking relieved that we had finally returned. But there was a sense of urgency in her tone.

"Well, get ready then," she said, already walking up the stairs. "We don't have much time left." I watched her go, feeling a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Something was off about this whole situation, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

As I made my way up to my room, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Why was my mother so anxious about this party? I knew that my father's return to Delhi had been a big deal, but I had no idea that it would involve such a lavish gathering.

I hastily jumped in the shower. After my shower, I quickly changed into my new dress, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation as I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress was a deep shade of red, with a flowing skirt and a fitted bodice that hugged my curves in all the right places. I felt beautiful and powerful, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead, I thought to myself as I slipped on my black high heels.

As soon as I finished getting ready, I rushed downstairs to join my parents, who were waiting impatiently at the door. "I'm waiting in the car," my father said curtly as he opened the door to leave. I could sense that he was already annoyed with us for being late.

I attempted to diffuse the situation by saying, "I'm not the only one who's late," after noticing my sister running down the stairs behind me. She looked flustered and out of breath.

"It must be hard being the only man in the house," my mother said, trying to break the tension that was hanging around us. She laughed, but it was forced, and I could tell that she was nervous about the party. My father walked out the door without saying anything, and we followed him to the car.

The drive to the party was tense, with my father barely speaking to us and my mother trying to make small talk to ease the tension. I could tell that something was bothering my father.

As we pulled up to the party, I could see that it was a grand affair. There were cars parked all along the street of the hotel, and people were milling about outside, dressed in their finest clothes. My father got out of the car without a word, and my mother and sister followed suit. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of trepidation as I stepped out of the car and into the fray.

As we made our way up the grand staircase that led to the entrance of the hotel, I noticed a well-dressed couple waiting for us at the big doors. The man was tall and imposing, with a firm handshake and a warm smile that put my father at ease. "Welcome," he said. "It's good to see you again, my old friend."

My father greeted him back warmly, and the two men walked into the hotel together, deep in conversation. The woman who was standing there greeted my mother with a warm hug, and the two women walked arm in arm into the hotel. I could see that my mother was more at ease now that she had someone to talk to, and I felt a sense of relief.

As we stepped into the lobby, my eyes were immediately drawn to the grand chandelier that hung overhead. It was a magnificent piece of art, with sparkling crystals that caught the light in a thousand different ways. I couldn't take my eyes off of it, marveling at the intricate details and the sheer size of the thing.

But a sharp bump to my shoulder abruptly ended my daydream. I stumbled slightly, my body turning involuntarily to see what had caused the disturbance. And there he was, a well-dressed man with blond hair and sea-blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the dim light of the lobby. My heart skipped a beat as I got lost in his gaze, feeling my cheeks flush with a sudden rush of warmth, and I felt a jolt of electricity that left me breathless.

"I'm sorry, miss," he said, his voice low and husky. "I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay?"

I nodded, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I'm fine," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. His eyes flashed black before he turned around and ran outside into the stormy weather.

As my sister and I walked further into the lobby, we were greeted with smiles and warm greetings. It was as if everyone knew us already, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging in this sea of strangers.

People stopped us to say hello, ask us how we were doing, and compliment us on our outfits. It was a whirlwind of activity, but it was also strangely comforting. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, part of a community that embraced me with open arms.

I felt a bump on my side as we walked further into the lobby; it was my sister bumping me with her elbow. “You liked what you saw,” she said, nodding her head in the direction where the gentleman had bumped into me earlier, as she teased with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, he is something for sure, but there's something strange about him," I replied to my sister, my mind still reeling from the encounter with the mysterious man in the lobby.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Before he turned around to run outside, his eyes flashed black for a second," I said, my voice low and conspiratorial.

My sister's eyes widened in surprise. "That's strange," she said. "Maybe he's an alpha."